Joe Rogan was criticized for his comments about homelessness in Los Angeles during a recent episode of his controversial podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
Speaking to guest and fellow comedian Tom Segura during the episode that aired last Thursday (July 14), Rogan appeared to joke about “shooting the homeless people” in Los Angeles in reference to the growing homelessness crisis in the California city.
As of May 2022, it is estimated that there are more than 66,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles. In her resignation from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (Lahsa), former executive director Heidi Marsten said the crisis was “a monster of our own making.”
While smoking cigars, Rogan and Segura touched on the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles in a conversation that was labeled “disgusting” and “disgusting” by fans online.
In the clip of their exchange, which is going viral on Twitter, Rogan opens up by talking about how homeless people’s belongings are strewn around Los Angeles.
Segura responded, “When you see things like this on the streets, at least in Los Angeles or California, it’s protected property. As per law. It is the property of the person by law.
“Oh, homeless property is protected?” Rogan shot back before Segura replied, “Absolutely. If you try to move this or take this_”
“You would have been arrested. Funny,” Rogan said, finishing Segura’s sentence before adding, “But they’re not going to arrest you if you shoot somebody. Maybe you should just go shoot the homeless people.
“I like your ideas,” Segura responded to Rogan’s remark.
(twitter)
Twitter users condemned Rogan’s comments, which many said could incentivize crimes against the homeless.
One person wrote: “Joe Rogan’s only trick for solving the homeless problem: Shoot them. A way to condone crimes against humanity.
Another said: “After hearing Joe Rogan and Tom Segura joke about shooting homeless people, I hope with every fiber of my being that those words come back to bite them in the worst way.”
One social media user prefaced their comments by saying they “don’t think highly of Joe Rogan, I’ll admit it” but his comments about the homeless were “disgusting”.
“You won’t get arrested if you shoot someone! So go shoot homeless people,” they paraphrased Rogan’s comments, adding, “He advocates killing people who have nothing and are at their lowest point,” the fan tweet continued.
Los Angeles homeless advocates also condemned Rogan’s remarks.
Joe Rogan’s Spotify podcast has been criticized for spreading misinformation, particularly about the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccines
((LR) Getty, iStock)
In a statement to Variety, homeless advocate and We The Unhoused podcast creator Theo Henderson called Rogan’s comments “repulsive.”
He added: “It’s maddening because not only is there no connection, but the reality is that unhoused people are being targeted by housed people. To stand up for trying to shoot homeless people or just give these dog whistles to people who don’t see homeless people as human beings — I can’t believe you would stand up for that.”
The Independent has contacted a representative for Rogan for comment.
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